SOUNDTRACK: SEMISONIC-The Great Divide (1996).
Before Semisonic took over the world (and irritated everyone) with “Closing Time,” they were a band that formed out of the ashes of Trip Shakespeare. Dan Wilson created Semisonic evidently because he wanted to be more poppy (which he perfected in “Closing Time,” obviously).
This album came out two years before “Closing Time” and it is a wonderful collection of alternapop. There’s nothing terribly aggressive or weird in this collection, but neither is there anything so commercial that you want to scream.
The highlight for me is “Down in Flames.” It goes in a few unexpected directions (especially with that screechy solo). It’s a little dark, but it’s really catchy without ever pandering to Top 40 sensibilities. It’s a really great song.
Some other highlights are the first three songs on the disc: “F.N.T.” is a poppy delight, “If I Run” has some great hooks and “Delicious” is a slinky sexy song with some unexpected moments.
Even a song like “Across the Great Divide” which isn’t the best on the disc has some nice surprises-when the vocals suddenly go falsetto.
There’s a couple of clunkers in the middle. “Temptation” is a little too pop ballady for my liking and “No One Else” is a little bland. I think their more uptempo songs are their strongest.
But “The Prize” is a satisfying pop rocker. And “Brand New Baby” has some surprising pop vocals and a wonderful third part that is worth getting to the end of the album for. While “Falling” is a surprisingly dark but catchy number (a Semisonic trait it seems).
The end of the album is rather unremarkable, but it’s still a solid collection of songs with nothing overplayable. Sometimes one hit wonders are unfairly labelled as such.
[READ: November 8, 2011] “Sun City”
This was a fascinating story because it went in directions that I never anticipated.
I found the opening a little confusing as there were several women mentioned and no real relationship is given among them. But it turns out that Vera and Bev are “roommates” and Rose is Vera’s granddaughter. Vera just died (unexpectedly at 87) and Rose has travelled out to Arizona to go through her things. Rose’s mom (Vera’s daughter) had a falling out with Vera years ago and won’t be going to the house.
Vera loved Rose but was somewhat disappointed in her–she was single and a bartender. But Vera was not disappointed that Rose is a lesbian. And Vera’s acceptance of that led Rose to believe that Vera and Bev were more than “roommates” as well. (more…)
I Just Read About That... 